Machine for opening fibrous stock



22, 1 42., s. F. ROCKWELL. JR

MACHINE FOR OPENING FIBROUS STOCK Filed Sept. 1, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2lnvenTor. I Samuel Forbes RocKweHdr.

Dec. 22,, 1 942.

s. F. ROCKWELL, JR MACHINE FOR OPENING FIBROUS STOCK Filed Sept. 1, 19393 Shegts-Sheet 3 lnvenTor.

Samuel ForbesRocKwelldr:

Patented Dec. 22, 1942 MACHINE FOR OPENING FIBROUS STOCK Samuel ForbesRockwell, Jr., North Andovcr, Mass, assignor to Davis & FurberMachineCompany, North Andover, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts ApplicationSeptember 1, 1939, Serial No. 293,089

8- Claims.

This invention presents a machine for opening unspun fibrous stock andis particularly designed for opening stock composed of cut or staplerayon or artificial silk fibres but may be employed in the opening ofother fibrous stock suohas cotton linters or any stock in which thefibres have not been subjected to spinning, weaving, knitting or otheroperations requiring, by reason of their entanglement, a. combing ordrawing treatment for opening.

The invention has for its further object to provide a machine foropening unspun fibrous stock by a beating, battering or buffetingoperation as distinguished from a combing or draw ing operation.

The invention has for its further object to provide such a machine whichmay provide for opening stock of a wide range of staple length.

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear morefully from the accompanying description and drawings and will beparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings which illustrate machines embodying the invention:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one preferred form of such a machine.

Fig. 2 is a view chiefly in central, vertical, transverse cross sectionof the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a View on a larger scale of the main portion of the samemachine chiefly in central, vertical, longitudinal cross section.

Fig. 4 is a detail in plan view illustrating one of the supportingfeatures in the same machine.

Fig. 5 is a detail in cross section illustrating the means for securingthe battles of the said machine in place.

Fig. 6 is a detail in cross section illustrating the mounting of one ofthe pin elements of the cylinder.

Fig. 7 is a detail of another form of baffle construction.

Fig. 8 is a detail of a similar machine partially in verticallongitudinal cross section and partially broken away in which thebaiiles are adjustable.

Fig. 9 is a detail in transverse cross section of the construction shownin Fig. 8.

The machine comprises a suitable base presenting vertical side walls Iand 2 supported on 1 This cylinder is shown as comprising side walls 1secured to the shaft 5 and a peripheral element 8 secured to the sidewalls, all of which may be of metal. The periphery of this cylinder isstudded with smooth, radially projecting pins. For this purpose acontinuous series of transverse wooden bars 2 is secured to theperipheral element 8 and the pins H] are set in these bars. I

The cylinder is rotated from any suitable source of power, as by drivinga pulley H secured to the shaft 5. I

This cylinder is enclosed in a casing, the lower section of which isformed by the side Walls 2 of the base and by a pan-like bottom l2extending between the side walls 2 and close to the pinstudded peripheryof the cylinder. The upper section of the casing is formed of twosubstantially semi-circular side walls l3 resting upon the flanges 4 ofthe base and having a, hinge connection therewith at I4 and of a topportion closing the side walls i3. It will thus be seen that thecylinder is journalled within a closed casing formed by the elementsdescribed.

In the preferred form of the invention illustrated, the top portion ofthe casing thus enclosing the cylinder comprises a flexible sheet 15preferably of metal fitting closely against the inner surfaces oftheparallel side walls l3 and conforming to and thus concentric with anextensive segment, substantially half, of the cylinder periphery.

The top portion or sheet iii of the casing is provided with a pluralityof baffles extending therefrom inward and generally parallel to thecylinder axis and with their edges spaced from the pin ends by adistance equal to a small fraction of the fibre length of the stock tobe opened. These bafiles may take various forms and need not presentcontinuous edges. They be mounted, bent or adjusted to project from thecasing at any suitable angle, preferably from 90 to somewhat less in thedirection of rotation. They are illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5 as thedepending flanges IB of angle irons, the upper flanges I! of which aresecured to the top portion of the casing.

It is important that the space between the edges of the battles [6 onthe top portion of the casing and the ends of the pins III on thecylinder periphery shall be related to the fibre length of the stockbeing opened and consequently, in order that the machine may be adaptedfor different kinds of stock, that the space may be adjusted to conformtherewith. But when such an adjustment is made, it is highly desirablefor the best results that the concentricity of the top portion of thecasing and the cylinder periphery shall be maintained so that throughoutthe segment of the top portion provided with the baifies this spaceshall throughout be of substantially the same width. Means are thereforeprovided in the preferred forms of the invention for adjusting the topportion of the casing toward and from the cylinder periphery and forvarying the radius of curvature of this top portion so as to adjust thisspace, while at the same time maintaining the concentricity of the topportion of the casing and the cylinder periphery. For this purpose inthe preferred constructions illustrated and now described in connectionwith Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, a plurality of rigid supports l8 extendbetween the side walls l3 above the top portion I5 and are shown asbolted at their downwardly oil'set ends at [9 to flanges of the sideWalls I3. A plurality of metal straps 2|, herein shown'as two in number,are secured in spaced relation to the top portion l5 to give morerigidity thereto, while at the same time permitting suificientflexibility to allow for the required change of curvature.

Screw members 22 are secured to and extend radially outward from thestraps 2| and pass through longitudinal slots 23 in the supports I8 andsuitable nuts 24 are threaded onto these screws above and below theslotted portion of the supports l8. justing the nuts 24, the top portionl5 carrying the baffles I6 may be adjusted radially with respect to thecylinder and the radius of curvature of the top portion thus varied tocause it to remain concentric to the cylinder periphery, while at thesame time the slots 23 enable the top portion to be adjusted slightlycircumferentially as required to secure this desired result.

The metal straps 2|, as illustrated in Fig. 5, provide convenient pointsfor securing the baiiies, when of the angle iron type, to the topportion of the casing. These baffles are secured in place by bolts 25passing through the flange H, the top portion l5 and the straps 2|.

The fibrous stock to be opened is fed to the pins on the cylinderbeneath the segment of the top portion provided with the baflles by anysuitable means. This stock is conveniently discharged by hand orpreferably from a suitable automatic hopper upon an apron 26 extendingaround rolls 21 and 28 journalled in bracket 29 and 30 mounted on theside plates I and 2 of the base and runs between side plates 3|. Fromthis apron the stock is taken by feed rolls 32 and 33 journalled in thebrackets 29. A flexible clearer plate 34 engaging the feed roll 33extends transversely across the machine and is secured by bolts 35 tothe bearings in which the roll 33 is journalled. A flexible metal plate36 likewise extends across the machine and is secured in place by thesame bolts 35 and extends upward in engagement with the inner surface ofthe top portion l5 of the casing.

The apron 25 and the feed rolls 32 and 33 are driven in any suitablemanner to feed the stock atthe required rate to the pin-studdedcylinder. As illustrated, the shaft 5 carries a pulley from which a belt38 drives a pulley 39 on a shaft provided with a pinion4l]. This pinionin turn drives a gear 4| on a shaft 42 and the gear 4| drives a ear 43on the shaft 44 of the lower feed roll 32. A double sprocket'wheel 45 isjournalled on the shaft 42 and sprocket chains lfi'and 4! connectingThus it will be seen that by adthis double sprocket wheel with sprocketwheels 75 on the shaft of the feed roll 21 and the shaft 44 efiect thedriving of the apron 26.

The opened stock is discharged, in the construction illustrated, at therear of the machine through a discharge conduit 48 opening from the panI2 at the lower portion of the casing. The outer wall 49 of thisdischarge conduit extends upward and overlies the lower end of the topportion l5.

Suitable means for producing suction, such as a fan 50, may be locatedin the discharge conduit to assist in the discharge of the open stockthere-.

through.

Access is had to the cylinder and to the baflles for cleaning or repairby swinging the entire upper portion of the casing about the ivot M.

A simple and satisfactory form of the invention for some purposes may bepivoted by forming the baflles as sharply defined corrugations in asheet of metal. Such a construction is illustrated in Fig. 7 wherein asection of a flexible sheet 5| forming the top portion of the casing isillustrated and secured thereto a section of a corrugated metal sheetwith the corrugations 52 sharply defined to form the baflles. Thecorrugated sheet may be welded or otherwise secured to the top portion5| and this top portion may be positioned, mounted and. adjusted thesame as the top portion I5 already described. The corrugated sheet willhave sufiicient flexibility to change its curvature along with the topportion 5| and thus maintain the desired concentricity with the surfaceof the pin-studded cylinder.

As already pointed out, the baflles may take various forms and may alsobe made adjustable to project from the casing at any suitable angle. Onesimple and good form of construction for securing such angularadjustment of the bafiles is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. In thesefigures the machine is assumed to be of the same general type as alreadydescribed. The casing is closed at the top as before by the flexiblesheet top portion 53 engaging the side walls 54 of the casing. The topportion 53 is shown adjustable as before to maintain its concentricitywith the cylinder periphery by means of the screw members 55 secured tothe straps 56 bearing the flexible sheet portion 53 and extendingthrough the slots 51 in the supports 58 and adjustable by means of thenuts 59.

The baifles in this case are shown as plates 63 pivotally mounted uponor hinged to the flexible sheet 53. As illustrated, each plate Bl] ispivoted at El to a narrow plate 62 welded or otherwise secured to thesheet 53.

At one side, or both sides if desired, means are provided for swingingthe blades to any desired and proper angle and for holding them in theadjusted position. For that purpose each blade is shown as formed orprovided with a projecting flange 63 having a slot 64. An arcuate bar 65is mounted to rotate on an arcuate guide 66 secured to the side wall 54and in this case the periphery of the cylinder 6'! will abut closelyagainst the bar 65. The arcuate bar 55 is concentric with the axis ofthe cylinder. It is provided with a series of arms 58, one for eachblade, having inturned ends 69 riding in the slots 64 of the respectiveblades. At a suitable place the arcu-ate bar is provided with a sectionof teeth forming a rack Ill and a pinion H is journalled in the sidewall 54 engaging this rack and provided exteriorly of the casing withmeans for rotating it illustrated here as a polygonal shank 12 to beengaged by a key.

dotted lines in Fig. 8.

Thus it will be seen that by turning the pinion il the blades '60 maysimultaneously be shifted to the required angle. The angular adjustmentthus required would usually be slight, on the order of twenty degrees orless forward or backward, both such adjustments being illustrated in Atthe same time the slotted flange and cooperating inturned end armconstruction enables the adjustment of the entire top portion 53 of thecasing to be made so as to maintain the concentricity of the edges ofthe blades with the surface of the pin-studded cylinder.

' Having thus described simple and preferred forms of constructionembodying the invention,

the novel principle of operation upon the fibrous stock will be clear.The machine may be-of any suitable size. A cylinder diameter on theorder of forty-two inches has been found highly satisfactory. But, inany event, the surface or circumferential speed of the cylinder must behigh and sufficient to give the required centrifugal action. Acircumferential speed on the order of five thousand feet per minute hasbeen found efficient. The stock which is fed by the feed rolls I to thecylinder is merely delivered by these rolls and no material drawingaction takes place between the feed rolls and the cylinder. The openingof the stock is effected by the stock taken by the pins on the cylinderbeing repeatedly and successively discharged by the pins against thebaffles. The stock is thus buffeted, beaten or battered against thebailies, thrown back therefrom onto the pins, again discharged by thepins against the bafiies, and so on throughout the entire bafiiesegment, all due to the centrifugal force and the rapid rotation of thecylinder. This effects a thorough opening of the stock without injury tothe fibres.

It is important that the pins shall present smooth surfaces, enablingthe stock readily to be taken thereon and discharged therefrom. The pinsmay be made of any suitable cross section and the length of the pins andthe depth of the baffles may be varied. With the machine disclosed, pinshaving a projecting portion on the order of one inch and baffles ofsimilar depth have been found to give the desired result. The spacebetween the edges of the baffles and the ends of the pins is adjusted inaccordance with the length of the fibre to a fractional part thereof.This space should be very slight, or just sufficient to enable the pinsto clear the baffies, for stock of short fibre length, and should varyin accordance with the fibre length up to about one and one-half inchesfor stock in which the fibre length is six inches, although it willseldom be necessary to open stock of such long fibre length.

The rapidly repeated and successive discharge of the fibrous stock fromthe pins against the baflies and back to the pins through the extendedsegment of baffles acts to open the fibrous stock thoroughly and withoutinjury thereto and the open stock, after leaving the bafiie segment, isdischarged by centrifugal action into the discharge conduit. When, as isfrequently the case, it is desirable to increase the draft through thedischarge opening and thus insure against clogging and working of thefibre in between the cylinder and the casing, a suitable suctionapparatus such as the suction fan previously referred to may be employedto increase the draft through the discharge conduit.

The machine thus enables unspun fibrous stock to be thoroughly openedwith a minimum breakage of fibre and with a highly efficient rate ofproduction. I

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

'1. A machine for opening unspun fibrous stock comprising a closedcasing, a cylinder journalled within the casing having its peripherystudded with smooth radially projecting pins a top portion of the casingconforming to and concentric with an extensive segment of the cylinderperiphery, a plurality of baflles extending from the said top portion ofthe casing inward, generally parallel to the cylinder axis and withtheir edges spaced from the pin ends a fraction of the fibre length,means for feeding the stock into the casing to the cylinder, a dischargeconduit for the opened stock leading from the casing, means acting torotate the cylinder at a speed suflicient repeatedly and successively todischarge the stock from the pins and hurl it against the baflies bycentrifugal force, and means for producing suction in the dischargeconduit acting to assist in the discharge of the opened stocktherethrbugh.

2. A machine for opening unspun fibrous stock comprising a closedcasing, a cylinder journalled within the casing having its peripherystudded with smooth radially projecting pins, a 'top portion of thecasing conforming to and concentric with an extensive segment of thecylinder periphery, a plurality of bafiles pivotally mounted at theirupper edges to and extending from the said top portion of the casinginward, generally parallel to the cylinder axis and with their edgesspaced from the pin ends a minor fraction of the fibre length beingtreated, means for feeding the stock into the casing'to the cylinder, adischarge conduit for the opened stock leading from the casing, meansacting to rotate the cylinder at a speed sufficient repeatedly andsuccessively to discharge the stock from the pins and hurl it againstthe baliles by centrifugal force, and means for angularly adjusting theballles.

3. A machine for opening unspun fibrous stock comprising a closedcasing, a cylinder journalled within the casing having its peripherystudded with smooth radially projecting pins, a top portion of thecasing conforming to and concentric with an extensive segment of thecylinder periphery, a plurality of bafiles pivotally mounted at theirupper edges to and extending from the said top portion of the casinginward, generally parallel to the cylinder axis and with their edgesspaced from the pin ends a fraction of the fibre length, means forfeeding the stock into the casing to the cylinder, a discharge conduitfor the-opened stock leading from the casing, means acting to rotate thecylinder at a speed sufiicient repeatedly and successively to dischargethe stock from the pins and hurl it against the baffles by centrifugalforce, and means for simultaneously adjusting the angular position ofthe baflles.

4. A machine for opening unspun fibrous stock comprising a closedcasing, a cylinder journalled within the casing having its peripherystudded with smooth radially projecting pins, a top portion of thecasing conforming to and concentric with an extensive segment of thecylinder periphery, a plurality of baflles extending from the said topportion of the casing inward, generally parallel to the cylinder axisand with their edges spaced from the pin ends a fraction of the fibrelength, means for adjusting the said top portion of the casing towardand from the said segment of the cylinder periphery and for varying theradius of curvature of the said top portion thereby to adjust the spacebetween the baflle edges and the pin ends while maintaining theconcentricity of the said top portion and cylinder periphery means forfeeding the stock into the casing to the cylinder, a discharge conduitfor the opened stock leading from the casing, and means acting to rotatethe cylinder at a speed sufficient repeatedly and successively todischarge the stock from the pins and hurl it against the baflies bycentrifugal force.

5. A machine for opening unspun fibrous stock comprising a closedcasing, a cylinder journalled within the casing having its peripherystudded with smooth radially projecting pins, a top portion of thecasing conforming to and concentric with an extensive segment' of thecylinder periphery, a plurality of bafiles pivotally mounted on andextending from the said top portion of the casing inward, generallyparallel to the cylinder axis and with their edges spaced from the pinends a fraction of the fibre length, means for adjusting the said topportion of the casing toward and from the said segment of the cylinderperiphery and for varying the radius of curvature of the said topportion, means for angularly adjusting the bafiles on their pivotsthereby to adjust the angular relation of the baffles with respect tothe cylinder and the space between the baflle edges and the pin endswhile at the same time maintaining the concentricity of the said topportion and cylinder periphery, means for feeding the stock into thecasing to the cylinder, a discharge conduit for the opened stock leadingfrom the casing, and means acting to rotate the cylinder at a speedsuificient repeatedly and successively to discharge the stock from thepins and hurl it against the baflles by centrifugal force.

6. A machine for opening unspun fibrous stock comprising a closed casinghaving parallel side walls, a cylinder journalled within the casinghaving its periphery studded with smooth, radially projecting pins, aflexible metal sheet casing top portion fitting between the side wallsand conforming to and concentric with an extensive segment of thecylinder periphery, a plurality of baffles extending from the said topportion of the casing inward, generally parallel to the cylinder axisand with their edges spaced from the pin ends a fraction of the fibrelength, a plurality of rigid supports extending between the casing sidewalls above the said top portion, means for supporting the said topportion from said supports, means for adjusting the said top portioncircumferentially and radially with respect to the cylinder and forvarying the radius of curvature thus to adjust the space between theedges of the baflles carried by the top portion and the pin ends whilemaintaining the concentricity of the top portion and cylinder peripherymeans for feeding the stock into the casing to the cylinder, a dischargeconduit for the opened stock leading from the casing, and means actingto rotate the cylinder at a speed suificient repeatedly and successivelyto discharge the stock from the pins and hurl it against the baflles bycentrifugal force.

7. A machine for opening unspun fibrous stock comprising a closed casinghaving parallel side walls, a cylinder journalled within the casinghaving its periphery studded with smooth, radially projecting pins, aflexible metal sheet casing top portion fitting between the side wallsand conforming to and concentric with an extensive segment of thecylinder periphery, a plurality of bafiles extending from the said topportion of the casing inward, generally parallel to the cylinder axisand with their edges spaced from the pin ends a fraction of the fibrelength, a plurality of rigid Supports extending between the casing sidewalls above the said top portion, means for adjustably supporting thesaid top portion radially and transversely of said supports thus toadjust the space between the edges of the baflies carried by the topportion and the pin ends while maintaining the concentricity of the topportion and cylinder periphery means for feeding the stock into thecasing to the cylinder, a discharge conduit for the opened stock leadingfrom the casing, and means acting to rotate the cylinder at a speedsufficient repeatedly and successively to discharge the stock from thepins and hurl it against the baffies by centrifugal force.

8. A machine for opening unspun fibrous stock comprising a closed casinghaving parallel side walls, a cylinder journalled within the casinghaving its periphery studded with smooth, radially projecting pins, aflexible metal sheet casing top portion fitting between the side wallsand conforming to and concentric with an extensive segment of thecylinder periphery, a plurality of baffles extending from the said topportion of the casing inward, generally parallel to the cylinder axisand with their edges spaced from the pin ends a fraction of the fibrelength, a plurality of rigid supports extending between the casing sidewalls above the said top portion, means for adjustably supporting thesaid top portion radially and transversely of said supports, means forsimultaneously adjusting the angular position of the bailles means forfeeding the stock into the casing to the cylinder, a discharge conduitfor the opened stock leading from the casing, and means acting to rotatethe cylinder at a speed suflicient repeatedly and successively todischarge the stock from the pins and hurl it against the bailles bycentrifugal force.

SAMUEL FORBES ROCKWELL, JR.

